Mushroom Gravy

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 02/10/23
Mushroom Gravy

The Spruce / Julia Estrada
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 4 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
47 Calories
3g Fat
4g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 47
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 261mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 138mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Whether served over steaks, meatloaf, or roast chicken, this versatile mushroom gravy recipe is a winner and so much better tasting than any jarred or packaged sauce mix. Even better, it is simple to make and has just a few ingredients. After mushrooms are sauteed in butter until somewhat dry and browned, they are then cooked a bit more with some flour. ​The broth is added, along with dried thyme, and once simmered and thickened a bit, this flavorful sauce is ready to top almost any dish.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 1 pound white button mushrooms, or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 4 cups beef broth, or chicken or vegetable broth, chilled

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Mushroom Gravy ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

    putter in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring for 10 minutes, or until the mushroom juices have evaporated and they begin to brown.

    mushrooms and butter in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Stir in the flour, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 5 minutes.

    flour added to the mushrooms in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Whisk in 1 cup of the cold broth.

    broth added to the mushroom mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Once incorporated, pour in the rest of the broth and add the thyme.

    mushroom mixture with broth and thyme in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Bring back to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    simmer the mushroom gravy in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  8. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

    Mushroom Gravy in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Tips

  • For a thicker gravy, turn heat up to medium and reduce to the desired thickness. For thinner gravy, add more broth.
  • Beef broth will create the richest sauce, while the chicken broth will lend a deeper flavor than the vegetable broth. 
  • Using button or cremini mushrooms creates a nice base to this sauce, but feel free to add a little bit of shiitake or even a few oyster mushrooms to create more interest and texture.
  • Other herbs that would complement this mushroom sauce, either in addition to the thyme or in its place, include rosemary, sage, or parsley.

Recipe Variations

  • Bacon variation: For a richer flavor, crisp 2 or 3 slices of bacon in a sauté pan. Remove the bacon from the pan and start the mushroom gravy in the dripping.
  • Creamy variation: Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end of cooking.

Recipes With Mushroom Gravy

  • Roasted Beef Tenderloin. A natural pairing for mushroom gravy is a nice, juicy steak, like slices of roasted beef tenderloin, but don't forget about other cuts of meat, as well as meatloaf and roasted turkey.

  • Salisbury Steak. Mushroom gravy is the perfect sauce for a Salisbury steak, which is basically a pan-fried hamburger, as it adds a wonderful depth of flavor, as well as a bit of moisture and texture to the patty.

  • Meatloaf. Maybe you will change your family's mind about meatloaf once it has some mushroom gravy spooned over, and surprise everyone this weekend with a turkey roll (butterflied and rolled turkey) served with mushroom gravy on the side.